der  Besuch

A1

Estimated CEFR level.

/bəˈzuːx/

🤔 What does "der Besuch" mean?

The noun der Besuch (masculine) has two main meanings:

• The act of visiting, the visit: It describes the act of visiting itself, i.e., when someone goes to someone else's place or to a location to spend time there.
  Example: Dein Besuch hat mich sehr gefreut. (I was very happy about your visit.)
• The person(s) visiting, the visitor(s): It can also refer to the person or group of people who are visiting.
  Example: Wir bekommen am Wochenende Besuch aus Berlin. (We're having visitors from Berlin this weekend. - Here, it means the visitors)

It's important to understand from the context which meaning is intended. Since it only takes the article der, there's no risk of confusion due to different articles.

Article rules for der, die, and das

📜 Grammar in Detail: Der Besuch

Der Besuch is a masculine noun. It is declined as follows:

Singular Declension

Note: In the genitive and dative singular, the -e ending is optional and considered more formal or dated (e.g., des Besuches, dem Besuche).

Plural Declension

💡 Example Sentences

1. Der Besuch meiner Tante war unerwartet. (My aunt's visit was unexpected. - Nominative Singular, meaning: act of visiting)
2. Wir freuen uns auf den Besuch unserer Freunde. (We are looking forward to our friends' visit / to our friends visiting. - Accusative Singular, meaning: act of visiting or the visitors)
3. Während des Besuchs im Museum lernten wir viel. (During the visit to the museum, we learned a lot. - Genitive Singular, meaning: act of visiting)
4. Nach dem Besuch gingen wir essen. (After the visit, we went out to eat. - Dative Singular, meaning: act of visiting)
5. Die häufigen Besuche stärkten ihre Freundschaft. (The frequent visits strengthened their friendship. - Nominative Plural, meaning: acts of visiting)
6. Wir müssen uns auf die Besuche vorbereiten. (We need to prepare for the visits / visitors. - Accusative Plural, meaning: acts of visiting or the visitors)

🗣️ How to use "der Besuch"?

Der Besuch is commonly used in everyday language when talking about social interactions or visiting places.

• Social Visits: Common phrases include "Besuch haben" (to have visitors), "Besuch bekommen" (to get visitors), "zu Besuch sein/gehen/kommen" (to be/go/come for a visit), "einen Besuch machen/abstatten" (to pay a visit).
  Example: Morgen habe ich Besuch von meiner Schwester. (Tomorrow I'll have a visit from my sister / my sister is visiting me.) / Ich mache meiner Oma einen Besuch. (I'm paying my grandma a visit.)
• Visiting Places: You can also "visit" places (e.g., museums, cities, events). The corresponding noun is also "der Besuch".
  Example: Der Besuch des Eiffelturms war beeindruckend. (The visit to the Eiffel Tower was impressive.)
• Formal vs. Informal: "Der Besuch" can be used in both formal and informal contexts. "Jemandem einen Besuch abstatten" sounds a bit more formal.
• Distinction from the verb "besuchen": "Besuch" is the noun, "besuchen" is the related verb.
  Sentence with noun: Der Besuch war schön. (The visit was nice.)
  Sentence with verb: Wir besuchen dich morgen. (We will visit you tomorrow.)

When der Besuch refers to the visitors, it's often used in the singular, even if multiple people are meant: "Der Besuch ist da." (The visitors are here. - even if multiple guests arrive). However, the plural can also be used: "Die Besuche aus dem Ausland sind immer willkommen." (The visits/visitors from abroad are always welcome. - Here referring to multiple visiting events or groups of visitors).

🧠 Mnemonics for "der Besuch"

Article Mnemonic

Imagine DER bear 🐻 coming for a Besuch (visit). Bear is masculine in German (der Bär), and so is Besuch. Der bear brings der Besuch.

Meaning Mnemonic

Think of 'Be-' as 'going to BE somewhere' and '-such' sounds like 'search'. When you visit (Besuch), you 'search' out a person or place 'to be' there. Der Besuch is the result of this 'search'.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms for "der Besuch"

⚠️ Similar Sounding Words

• der Versuch: Sounds similar but means 'attempt' or 'experiment'. Don't mix them up!

😄 A Little Joke

Host asks his visitor: "Möchten Sie vielleicht etwas länger bleiben?"
Visitor replies: "Oh ja, gerne!"
Host: "Gut, dann erzähle ich Ihnen jetzt von meinem letzten Urlaub..."

Translation:
Host asks his visitor: "Would you perhaps like to stay a bit longer?"
Visitor replies: "Oh yes, gladly!"
Host: "Good, then I'll tell you all about my last vacation now..."

✍️ Poem about the Visit

Wenn die Klingel plötzlich schrillt,
ein lieber Mensch den Raum erfüllt,
mit Lachen, Plaudern, frohem Sinn,
ist das ein schöner Neubeginn.
Der Besuch, ob kurz, ob lang,
vertreibt die Zeit mit seinem Klang.
Man teilt Geschichten, Freud und Leid,
vergessen ist die Einsamkeit.

When the doorbell suddenly rings shrilly,
a dear person fills the room,
with laughter, chatter, happy thoughts,
it's a beautiful new beginning.
The visit, whether short or long,
passes the time with its sound.
One shares stories, joy and sorrow,
forgotten is the loneliness.

🧩 Riddle

Ich komme oft unerwartet,
manchmal bin ich lang erwartet.
Ich bringe Menschen zusammen,
manchmal nur für kurze Flammen (Minuten).
Ich kann eine Person sein oder viele,
oder nur der Akt, das ist mein Wille.

Was bin ich?

Translation:
I often come unexpectedly,
sometimes I am long awaited.
I bring people together,
sometimes only for brief flames (minutes).
I can be one person or many,
or just the act, that is my will.

What am I?

Solution: Der Besuch (the visit/visitor)

💡 More Information

• Word Origin: The noun "der Besuch" is derived from the verb "besuchen" (to visit).
• Compound Words: There are many compound nouns with "Besuch", for example:
  • der Krankenbesuch (visit to a sick person)
  • der Staatsbesuch (state visit)
  • die Besuchszeit (visiting hours, e.g., in a hospital)
  • das Besuchsrecht (visitation rights, e.g., for children after a divorce)